Author: KESQ

Jesus Reyes

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – With a winter rainstorm impacting the Coachella Valley, the Cathedral City Fire & EMS Department is reminding residents that free, self-serve sandbags are available at the fire station located at 32100 Desert Vista Rd., Cathedral City.

Limited quantities of empty sandbags are available at all CALFIRE/Riverside County Fire Stations. Find your nearest Riverside County fire station here.

Residents are encouraged to take proactive steps to protect their property from potential flooding. Sandbags are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The city also announced that Tuesday’s free yoga classes at the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater have been canceled due to the weather. Classes are expected to resume the following Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.

A First Alert Weather Alert has been issued for the storm. Download the News Channel 3 First Alert Weather App for up-to-the-minute updates.

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Luis Avila

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A wet week is expected for the Coachella Valley, as crowds prepare to head to the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival.

Organizers say they are prepared for the unsettled conditions. Contingency plans are in place to address potential rain and wind impacts, and many of the fair’s key attractions and performances are scheduled indoors to allow events to continue despite the weather.

The annual festival, held at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, regularly contends with some form of inclement weather. Officials note that rain or wind has become a near-annual occurrence, making weather preparation a routine part of planning.

Attendees are advised to dress accordingly, including wearing jackets and waterproof footwear, and to be prepared for changing conditions while enjoying the festivities.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Daniella Lake

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Black history committee is hosting a bus tour, designed to take riders on a journey through Palm Springs Black history. The tour highlighted the trailblazers and locations that are central to Black history in the area, starting off with the first African American settlers, who came in the 1930s as part of the Great Migration.

“In those days, Palm Springs, like most cities in California, had restrictions that said, African-Americans couldn’t live within the city limits. So residents found shelter on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation,” says Deiter Crawford.

The area they settled is widely known as section 14, and they were later forcibly removed by the city of Palm Springs.

“They felt that they wanted to do a clean up in the area, and that was code for removing minority residents,” says Crawford.

Since then, the Section 14 Survivors group has fought for reparations, which News Channel 3 has covered extensively.

The tour also highlighted the architecture of Paul R. Williams, the Crossley tract neighborhood founded by Lawrence Crossley, and more.

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Gavin Nguyen

THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. (KESQ) – The winter storm we have been tracking over the past few days is set to arrive within hours. This system is set to bring significant rain to Southern California, snowfall to our mountains, gusty winds, and much cooler temperatures this week.

Right now, our models indicate the day will start off dry in the Coachella Valley, with most of the moisture staying to our west through breakfast. As we inch closer to lunch, though, the activity will march eastward. We’re likely to see our first raindrops after 10AM, with moderate to heavy rain into the afternoon.

Expect chances through the overnight hours, but a break in the rain is expected for most of the day on Tuesday. Then, rain chances increase again for late Tuesday and early Wednesday. The rain looks to taper off by noon on Wednesday, with only slight chances of scattered showers remaining for the rest of the week.

This winter storm is triggering a number of different advisories in our area. A Wind Advisory is in place for much of the areas surrounding the Coachella Valley (as well as the Inland Empire, Orange County, and more) for the gusty winds set to arrive with the rain. A Winter Storm Warning, in pink, is also in place for our local mountains, as this storm is set to deliver significant snowfall. Snow levels could drop as low as 4,500′ by Tuesday night.

Highs will be cooler than normal all week long as colder air is ushered in with this system. Again, the wettest portion of the week will be Monday through Wednesday, with the brunt of the moisture expected on Monday.

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Athena Jreij

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – One person was sent to the hospital with minor injuries after a fire broke out at a home on the 45000 block of Debbie Drive in La Quinta.

Officials responded to the fire at 7:38 p.m. to find smoke coming from the front door of the house.

The fire was contained shortly after.

One person was transported to a nearby hospital for minor injuries.

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Athena Jreij

UPDATE as of 11 p.m. – Officials say 160 rooms and more than 300 guests have been evacuated from the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas.

Additionally, one employee was transported to the hospital for minor injuries.

Fire crews are working with the city and hotel to find accommodations for guests.

Officials say there could be widespread water damage from hotel sprinklers.

This is a developing story, stick with News Channel 3 for updates.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – Cal Fire units are responding to a commercial fire at a hotel on the 44000 block of Indian Wells Lane in Indian Wells.

According to the post on X, smoke was reported on the 5th floor of a hotel, inside an electrical room shortly before 8 p.m.

No injuries have been reported.

News Channel 3 is sending a crew to the scene, stay tuned for any updates.

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Timothy Foster

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — Weekend one of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival got off to a strong start, with opening day attendance nearly triple that of last year.

Raffi Frinsley, marketing manager for the fair, said the first three days brought exceptionally large crowds, reflecting growing excitement around the event. She noted that the increase is a result of new attractions, expanded entertainment, and strong community support.

This year’s fair introduced the Oasis Tiki Lounge, a central area where guests can relax, and a National Date Festival museum that showcases decades of memorabilia and celebrates more than 100 years of festival history.

Entertainment remains a major draw, with live music, Polynesian fire dancers, and motorcycle stunt shows adding to the lively atmosphere. Many visitors come to relive traditions, including rides, food, and family experiences that have made the festival a staple in the Coachella Valley for generations.

Longtime attendees continue to return each year, enjoying both the rides and the fair’s wide range of food options, from funnel cakes and cinnamon rolls to tacos and boba. Families from across the valley see the festival as a perfect opportunity to spend quality time together while enjoying the fair’s attractions.

With strong turnout in weekend one, organizers anticipate continued momentum through the remainder of the festival, which runs through next weekend in Indio.

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Timothy Foster

UPDATE 2/15/26 9:40 p.m.

California Highway Patrol is now identifying the person killed in the crash as the unborn child of a pregnant woman involved in the collision.

Officials say the pregnant woman was transported to a hospital where the fetus was pronounced dead.

This is a developing story. Stick with News Channel 3 for the latest.

Update 2/15/26 7:48 p.m.

The California Highway Patrol is now reporting the crash as a fatality.

Original Report:

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people were hospitalized in serious condition following a head-on collision Sunday evening at the intersection of North Indian Canyon Drive and Pierson Boulevard.

The crash occurred around 4:56 p.m. when a white Honda and a gray Lexus collided.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, and all lanes were reopened by 6:18 p.m.

Authorities say drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be factors in the crash.

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the collision, stay with News Channel 3 for further developments.

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Shay Lawson

SKY VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – Tabitha Davies, co-director of Esperanza’s Sanctuary and a Sky Valley resident, reached out to News Channel 3 with concerns about recent meetings regarding the Improvement District No. 8 (ID8) water line.

“Despite prior statements from Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) that chromium-6 remediation would be addressed systemwide at a cost of approximately $85 per month for all CVWD users, CVWD is now pursuing a sale of the ID8 line to Mission Springs Water District,” Davies said. “This is a significant shift from what was previously represented publicly. None of the ID8 users support this transfer.”

Davies said the potential transfer would move the ID8 water system serving Desert Edge, Sky Valley and Indio Hills from the CVWD to the MSWD, though officials said no final decision has been made.

Lorraine Garcia, CVWD Public Information Officer, said the proposal comes as California now requires water agencies to meet a lower chromium-6 limit of 10 parts per billion. Garcia said the four wells serving the ID8 system currently exceed that level, measuring between 10.4 and 12.5 parts per billion.

CVWD estimates it would cost roughly $25 million to meet the state’s chromium-6 standard in the ID8 system, significantly increasing the rates and increasing monthly service costs up to $85 without consolidation.

Garcia added:

“CVWD and MSWD are exploring the options to keep water rates affordable by consolidating the ID-8 domestic water system to MSWD’s system. The consolidation would be done through the state’s Safe and Affordable Drinking Water program. State funding could cover the consolidation and construction costs of treatment facilities to meet the new chromium-6 standard for the four wells in the ID-8 system. However, MSWD also has wells that can provide water in the ID-8 area without exceeding the chromium-6 standard. If the system were to be consolidated, MSWD would become the community water service provider. Customers would pay MSWD domestic water rates, which would cover operations and maintenance costs.”

A MSWD spokesperson said the proposed consolidation was discussed at a recent MSWD board workshop; however, no formal action was agreed upon. 

But Davies said many residents worry consolidation could lead to significantly higher long-term costs.

“For me and my family personally, we wouldn’t be able to live here,” Davies said. “It’s going to have a fixed set of time. So yes, our water rates will go up that much while they’re still doing their normal rate increases, but there’s caps on how they can do that. Whereas if they switch us to Mission Springs, there isn’t and we would have to fall in line to their current water rates, which are about three times the amount for residential use.”

Davies said residents understand upgrades are necessary but want clearer communication and protections for rural communities.

She said some residents created a website to educate the public with linked videos of the public meetings and more. You can access it at this link.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Garrett Hottle

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – For two weeks, you’ve seen her face and heard her name.

But for T’Neya’s family this story didn’t begin with what you saw it began with silence on December 1st, the day T’Neya stopped answering her phone.

In an all new interview today, I sat down with T’Neya’s parents – Charro Tovar, and Josh Carter.

They describe T’neya as a spark of personality, someone who’s creative and and passionate, but also force to be reckoned with.

A 17-year-old figuring out life, sometimes pushing boundaries, sometimes testing limits, but always staying connected to her parents.

Always sharing her location. Always checking in. No matter the distance or the disagreements, they say one thing never changed: she had parents who would show up when it mattered most.

Charro and Josh drove to Harlequin Court multiple times, asking police to search the home. They say they never saw Abraham Feinbloom face-to-face. They never saw him come outside. They’ve been watching the scene unfold from a distance these past two weeks fighting for answers, pushing for action, barely having a moment to grieve.

Some questions are beginning to get answers. Some of the most important have not.

Charro told us the one thing she has never had to question is the support from the Salton City community, neighbors who have treated T’Neya like their own daughter.

Tonight at 6 and 11 hear directly from her parents in their own words.

KESQ News Channel 3

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